Missing money and the S.L.C’s past

By Mata'afa Keni Lesa 19 June 2017, 12:00AM

The Sunday Samoan’s front-page story titled “Govt. money missing” about the Police hunt for $50,000 that has mysteriously disappeared from the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C) is an interesting one.

According to the Acting Police Assistant Commissioner, Sala’a Moananu Sale, was removed from the safe located inside the main office of the Corporation at Vaitele.

Sala’a said the police have ruled out the possibility that it was a burglary.

“Police officers have taken photos and have been to every door and window,” he said.

It is evident there is no sign of forced entry into the building to indicate that this was burglary.” 

According to Sala’a three employees of S.L.C have been questioned by the Police. 

“In the meantime, the S.L.C has requested for their auditors to conduct an internal investigation into the books,” he said. 

 “A report will be given to the police upon completion. But that will not stop the police from continuing their investigation. This case is a priority.”

Why is that?

Well the Assistant Commissioner pointed out that “the missing funds is government money and the police will exhort all options” to find it. 

Well that’s great isn’t it? $50,000 is indeed a lot of money.

Keep in this is pretty insignificant considering millions wasted by this particular Corporation in the past.

Which brings us to the point that since the now the Police are on an all out hunt to recover this money, someone needs to remind them that they too should look into claims of corruption and collusion in the Corporation’s past that have yet to be dealt with.

We are talking about the unbridled corruption found by the Chief Auditor and the Officers of Parliament Committee reports which uncovered that millions of taxpayers monies had been wasted and unaccounted for. These have been raised time and time again and ignored.

We believe there are blatant acts of wrongdoing screaming at us to correct and do something about. 

We’re referring to a file of documents in which “documentary evidences” were presented to Prime Minister Tuilaepa some time ago to prove that public servants had colluded to defraud public funds at S.L.C.

At the time, Prime Minister Tuilaepa was challenged to take another look at the documents the O.P.C had provided. We are not going to delve into the specifics of these documentary evidences today. 

But if the Police have been engaged on a full investigation to find $50,000 – as they should – why were they not invited to also investigate the Chief Auditor’s Report? What about the O.P.C reports? 

With due respect, $50,000 is peanuts compared to millions. 

Will it be correct to say that those millions wasted and unaccounted will now become a thing of the past since no one seems to care anymore?

Funny how these things keep popping up, don’t they? 

But then this is always the result when we fail to deal with wrongdoing of the past, they always find a funny way of reminding us. Don’t they?

What do you think?

Have a great week Samoa, God bless!

By Mata'afa Keni Lesa 19 June 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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